Update on Environment Canterbury review

  • Amy Adams
  • Paula Bennett
Local Government Environment

The Government has today provided an update about the review of the future governance arrangements of Environment Canterbury.

Commissioners were appointed in 2010 following a critical external review of Environment Canterbury’s performance. Last year commissioner governance was extended until 2016 to continue the progress the Commissioners have made.

A review of the arrangements was built into the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Amendment Bill 2010 when it was amended to ensure Canterbury’s future regional governance arrangements could be carefully considered.

The review is focused on the future requirements for Environment Canterbury’s governance, membership and resource management arrangements when the current Commissioners finish their term in 2016.

The review started in March and has to date focused on discussions with the Canterbury Mayoral Forum and Commissioners to inform the scope of a discussion document for wider public consultation.

Local Government Minister Paula Bennett and Environment Minister Amy Adams today confirmed the next steps in the review will be to continue to liaise with key stakeholders ahead of the release of a discussion document in October/November.

“Given the close proximity of the general election, any decisions would be made by the next government, so it is appropriate to let the final scope of the document be determined post-election by the incoming government,” the Ministers say.